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Nourish Scotland's Making a Living from Local Food programme 2017

Nourish Scotland are inviting applications to take part in their 'Making a Living from Local Food' programme.

Now in its second year, the programme offers mentoring and peer-to-peer-support to 15-20 aspiring and recently established local food entrepreneurs from across Scotland. The programme runs for 7 months from June - December 2017.

Is this programme for you?

Are you passionate about tasty, nutritious, locally and sustainably produced food?

Are you in the process of setting up a local food business (within the next 6 months) or have just set one up (<3 years)?

Do you grow vegetables, keep cattle, bake bread and/or other food for the local market, or do you run a local food distribution/catering enterprise?

Would you like to get support from an experienced mentor and link up with other local food entrepreneurs from across Scotland?

Can you commit some time over the next 8 months?

How does it work?

The programme is designed to offer you tailored support, wherever you’re at with your local food enterprise:

You’ll be part of a peer group of 5-7 participants in roughly the same area, and matched with one mentor. This year’s mentors are Rob Davidson from The Cyrenians Farm near Edinburgh, Howard Wilkinson from the Ayrshire Food Network in Ayrshire and Jo Hunt from Knockfarrel Produce in the Inverness area.

Over the course of the 8 months, you’ll meet 5 times with your peer group for a 3-hour long session facilitated by your mentor. In these sessions you’ll explore together particular themes and challenges in developing/running your business. Where possible, these sessions will be hosted in turns by you and other participants at your own farms/businesses, to maximise learning.

You can spend 5 one-to-one hours with your personal mentor over the course of the programme (phone/skype/in person) and you can decide when.

You’re invited to attend 3 whole-group events hosted at farms across Scotland: 1) the opening session on Thursday the 29th of June (attendance required) 2) a networking event in September which is also open to programme alumni/other local food producers 3) the closing session in December

You’ll have access to various resources and materials online and to the Facebook group to connect with other local food producers.

The programme is flexible and self-led: it’ll be up to you to make the most of the mentoring and peer-learning opportunities provided. The programme facilitates the sharing of knowledge, skills and experiences but is not a training programme as such.

How much?

You will be asked to contribute £100 towards the programme costs.. If you are or become a Nourish member, you’ll receive a discount of £20. It’s possible to pay in installments. You’ll have to cover your own travel to group events and peer group sessions. If the costs pose a barrier for you to take part, please get in touch with Nourish Scotland.

The application deadline is Wednesday 31st May.

How to apply:

Please fill in the 2017 application form and send it to localfood @ nourishscotland.org.uk. As there are still a few spaces left for this year’s programme, we’ve reopened applications. The new deadline is Wednesday the 31st of May. We’ll let you know by the 5th of June whether we can offer you a place on the programme. If you’re running your business with a partner, you’re welcome to take part in the programme together and put in a joint application: You’ll be part of the same peer group with the same mentor. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about the programme, by e-mailing localfood @ nourishscotland.org.uk or calling the Nourish Scotland office.